NHTSA Complaint #766926 — 2000 WINNEBAGO WINNEBAGO

THIS REPORT IS IN ADDITION TO THE ODI#763205 WE HAVE ALREADY SENT. SINCE THE LAST REPORT WE SENT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO MORE TIRE FAILURES ON THE SAME MOTOR HOME AND HAVE FOUND THAT ANOTHER OWNER HAS HAD TWO FAILURES OF HIS OWN. ALL FIVE OF THESE FAILURES OCCURRED IN APPROXIMATELY A SIX WEEK PERIOD. THE LAST ONE WE HAD WAS NOT AN ACTUAL FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT RATHER IT WAS FOUND WHILE ROTATING THE TIRES. THIS ONE WAS FOUND ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER 4 WERE ON THE REAR OF THE UNITS. THE LAST UNIT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE MECHANIC WHO WAS ROTATING THE TIRES. HE FOUND THE TREAED WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE. WE HAVE REMOVED ALL THE FIRESTONE TIRES FROM THE UNIT EXCEPT FOR THE NEW SPARE AND REPLACED THEM WITH ANOTHER BRAND. WE HAVE ALL THE OLD TIRES AS WELL AS ONE FROM ANOTHER UNIT. WE CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED. WE CONTACTED WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES TO SIMPLY ADVISE THEM OF THE ISSUE AS THEY APPARENTLY HAVE SOLD THEIR UNITS WITH THIS TIRE AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. THEY TOLD US TO CONTACT THE TIRE MANUFACTURE. WE CONTACTED FIRESTONE IN DENVER AND ALL THEY SAY IS THAT THE TIRE WAS OVERLOADED AND UNDERINFLATED. WE ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION UNTIL WE LOST TWO MORE TIRES AND WERE MADE AWARE THAT ANOTHER OWNERS UNIT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH TWO OF HIS TIRES. WE HAVE KEPT THE OLD TIRES OFF OUR UNIT EXCEPT FOR TWO. WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE OTHER UNITS TIRES THAT FAILED IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN INSPECTING THEM. OUR CONCERN IS THAT WHEN THE TIRE IN QUESTION IS PLACED IN SERVICE ON A MOTOR HOME, IT MAY NOT BE A PROPER TIRE FOR THE UNITS.*AK